A radiological investigation of the effects of cannulation on intestinal motility and digesta flow in sheep

Radiological examinations were carried out on ten sheep to see what changes in intestinal motility and flow of digesta were caused by intestinal cannulation. Barium sulphate was injected or infused into the abomasum via an implanted catheter; its passage through the intestine and associated muscular contractions were observed using X-ray image intensification. Once the normal pattern had been established for each individual, single or re-entrant cannulae were inserted into one of four positions in the small intestine. All the cannulations caused some disruption of the normal flow of digesta, causing retention of digesta and distension of the intestine around and proximal to the intraluminal flanges of the cannulae. The duodenum was affected the most, particularly by one type of re-entrant cannula which reduced the degree of jejunal filling; peristaltic contractions often failed to propagate beyond these cannulae and also caused some retrograde movement of digesta between the cannulation site and the duodenal bulb during the irregular contraction phase (ICP) of the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC). These re-entrant cannulae also impaired the clearing effect of regular contraction phase (RCP)

The structure and radiographic analysis of the alimentary tract of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii (Marsupialia) II. the intestines

The gross and radiographic anatomy of the intestinal tract of M. eugenii is described. A short duodenum is held in a relatively fixed position close to the cranial abdominal hypaxial musculature by the mesoduodenum. The remainder of the small intestine is loosely coiled caudal to the proximal compartment of the stomach, except for the terminal ileum which crosses the abdomen from the left, to open into the large intestine on the ileal papilla. A simple caecum lies with its base on the right side level with lumbar vertebrae 5 and 6. Its body and apex are mobile. The lumen of the caecum is confluent with the ascending colon which is situated adjacent to the dorsal right flank. Cranially, the ascending colon turns caudally to form the proximal colic flexure, then becomes tightly bound to the middle compartment of the stomach by a gastrocolic ligament. After this the large intestine forms loose coils until it straightens out in the caudally directed descending colon in the dorsal midline of the caudal abdomen. The intestinal tract terminates at the cloaca. Faecal pellet formation is first seen in the proximal colic flexure. The time taken from the administration of barium sulphate until none was visible in the intestinal tract was significantly shorter in animals fed lucerne hay than in those fed kangaroo pellets

Electromyography of the stomach and small-intestine of the tammar wallaby, macropus-eugenii, and the quokka, setonix-brachyurus

Electromyographic activity recorded by chronically implanted bipolar electrodes showed the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) and the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) to have slow wave activity over the entire stomach and small intestine. Slow wave mean frequency (min-1) were: 5.5 and 5.3 for the forestomach; 5.4 and 5.0 for the pylorus; 26 and 17.8 for the duodenum; and 25 and 17.5 for the ileum in the tammar and quokka, respectively. There was virtually no frequency gradient of the slow wave along the length of the small intestine in both macropods, which is extremely unusual. Action potentials were recorded from the quokka stomach but not from the tammar stomach. Action potentials were recorded from the small intestine of both species. The pattern of action potential activity was similar in both species. There were periods of up to 30 minutes during which the intestine was quiescent (q) with no action potential activity. This was followed by extended periods when bursts of action potentials occurred irregularly to be followed by periods of about 5 minutes when action potentials were associated with every slow wave

Motility patterns of the stomach and intestine of small Macropodids

No abstract availabl

Congenital hypothyroidism in Scottish Deerhound puppies.

Two Scottish Deerhound puppies had clinical and pathological features consistent with the diagnosis of congenital non-goitrous hypothyroidism. They were from separate litters, but were the progeny of the same sire and dam. The puppies were smaller, had shorter limbs and shorter, broader heads than their littermates. They also had histories of weakness, difficulty in walking and somnolence. A characteristic radiographic feature was the absence of epiphyseal growth centres. Both had depressed serum thyroxine (T4) levels and one did not respond to exogenous thyroid stimulating hormone. On necropsy, the thyroid glands were small, the follicles varied in size and contained little or no colloid. The adenohypophysis contained many cells with markedly vacuolated cytoplasm. It is suggested that the clinicopathological pattern is the result of a primary thyroid abnormality. Possible mechanisms include either primary thyroid hypoplasia or an unresponsiveness to thyroid stimulating hormone

A cardiomyopathy in the English Cocker Spaniel: a clinico-pathological investigation

This report describes some of the characteristics of a cardiomyopathy in English Cocker Spaniels. Forty‐nine dogs from a kennel with a history of a cardiomyopathy were assessed clinically, electrocardiographically and radiographically. Angiography, haemodynamic and post‐mortem examinations were carried out on selected dogs. On electrocardiographic (ECG) and radiographic criteria the dogs were classified into five groups. Twenty‐six dogs (Group 1) were normal. Seven dogs (Group 2) showed ECG changes compatible with left or biventricular hypertrophy in the absence of radiographic abnormality. This was interpreted as concentric hypertrophy. Seven dogs (Group 3) showed ECG and radiographic evidence of cardiac hypertrophy with five of the seven exhibiting enlargement of both chambers. The changes were considered to be compatible with eccentric hypertrophy. Post‐mortem findings in dogs with ECG characteristics of Groups 2 and 3 have shown concentric hypertrophy in three cases and eccentric hypertrophy in one case. Six dogs (Group 4) had right axis deviations. Three dogs (Group 5) showed left axis deviations. It is suggested that a cardiomyopathy exists in English Cocker Spaniels initially developing as a concentric hypertrophy and progressing to eccentric hypertrophy. At present the aetiology is unknown